


Bergamot for Two

by ajstyling



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Fix-It, I'm begging you instys let them talk, Pre-Time Skip, possibly some hilclaude if you squint, talking instead of murdering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-09
Updated: 2019-12-09
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21726790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ajstyling/pseuds/ajstyling
Summary: “Once upon a time, in a faraway place…”Claude tells Edelgard a bedtime story.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg/Claude von Riegan, Hilda Valentine Goneril & Claude von Riegan
Comments: 14
Kudos: 132





	Bergamot for Two

**Author's Note:**

> This story is an attempt for me to further my let them talk instead of murder agenda.
> 
> Some of Claude's dialogue is taken from his support with Marianne and re-purposed my edelclaude agenda.
> 
> Thanks again to ao3 user therewasonlyonebed for turning all my bad periods into good commas.

Darkness settled on Garreg Mach like a thick blanket and the small sliver of the moon cast the monastery in a ghostly light. Nights like these were cause for hushed whispers between students about the ghosts rumored to haunt the monastery’s halls. 

For some, the nightly retreat to their room was a chance for a romantic rendezvous, a late night study session, or perhaps just a way to escape from the alleged ghosts. For Claude, night was an escape of sorts. During the day, he dutifully played his part as the heir of House Reigan, the next in line to lead the Alliance. He was charming when the situation needed it, devious when the situation called for it, and--above all else--never forthcoming with those he called classmates and friends. It was an exhausting necessity forced on him by the fraught relationship between Fodlan and Almyra.

Night was his time to breathe, to relax, to simply be. 

Tonight, Claude found himself sprawled out on his bed eyes cast towards the ceiling of his cramped dormitory room. He let his plans and schemes fade from his mind as his eyes traced the movements of the moonlight across the room’s wooden ceiling. A small candle flickered on his desk, casting his face in its dim light.

Claude was unsure how long he had been laying like that before he heard three quick knocks at his door. He sighed--he hoped tonight would be different--before slowly rolling out of bed and moving towards the door. 

Claude made his way quickly to the door and gently pulled it open. Standing in the dim hallway was a short girl in a lavish light blue nightgown. Her bright pink hair fell below her hips. Between her arms she hugged a large, fluffy pillow. 

“Again?” Claude asked.

“It’s the fourth night in a row,” Hilda grumbled. “Can I…”

“Of course,” Claude stepped back from the door and nodded towards his room. “Bed’s all yours.”

Hilda smiled and crossed the threshold into his room. She walked to the head of the bed, set down her large pillow, and threw herself on top of the mattress.

Claude followed her to the bed and sat down at the foot of it. A comfortable silence settled on the room as Hilda made herself comfortable. Eventually she broke the silence, “I feel bad.”

“Don’t be, Hilds. You’re welcome to my bed anytime you like,” He winked.

Hilda gently jabbed one of her feet into his side, “Not about the bed, silly. I feel bad about… her.”

“You’re such a softie,” Claude teased.

“I can hear her screams through the wall we share, Claude.”

Claude’s smirk was replaced with a flash of guilt, “I know, Hilds. I know.”

“It sounds like she’s being murdered in her sleep,” Hilda said.

“I know.”

“Someone needs to talk to her.”

A suffocating silence settled on the room once more. Again, Hilda broke it, “Remember when you promised to share your secrets with me?”

Claude flashed Hilda a wide grin, “I do. I think I also offered to let you choke me.”

Hilda laughed. “Umm… I’m pretty sure you begged me to choke you.”

“To-may-to, to-mah-to.” 

“Suurree.” Hilda smiled and after a moment added, “I think… that maybe what she needs is someone to share her secrets with.”

Claude shifted uncomfortably at the foot of the bed.

“Besides Hubert, that is,” Hilda added.

“And you think it should be me?” Claude asked.

Hilda chewed on her bottom lip, “I think you understand secrets that keep people awake.”

Claude sighed and stood up from the bed, “Consider my room yours. I don’t think anyone at the monastery wants to see a Hilda without her beauty sleep.”

“What about you?” Hilda asked.

They had shared a bed before, on multiple occasions, but tonight Hilda looked like she needed the sleep more than ever and Claude knew he would feel guilty for staying with her and keeping her awake. “I’ll take your room for the night.”

Claude made his way to the door and as he rested his hand on the handle, he heard Hilda from across the room, the edges of sleep creeping into her voice, “Who knows? Maybe she’s looking for someone to choke?”

Claude shook his head and laughed silently, before he pulled open the door and stepped out into the cool hallway. 

Despite the warm weather, the cold of the stone tiling seeped into Claude’s bones as he made his way down the long hallway and toward Hilda’s room. The second floor dormitory hallway was illuminated by a few small candles which cast a flurry of shadows over the hallway. Claude made his way past Lorenz and Ferdinand’s rooms, each step down the hallway left his stomach feeling more nervous than before.

He made his way past Caspar and Hubert’s rooms, not even a sliver of light creeping out from below the doors of either of them. He passed by Edelgard’s room without a second glance, Hilda’s words echoed loudly in his mind. At last he arrived at Hilda’s room and turned quickly towards the door.

As he pushed down the door handle, a loud scream broke through the door of the room to the left of Hilda’s.

“Shit.” Claude muttered, his hand rested on the door handle. All it would take was a few small steps and he knew he would be isolated from the scream. He pushed the handle down all the way and the door opened.

Another scream rang out.

_I think you understand secrets that keep people awake._

Claude cursed again. He pulled the door to Hilda’s room shut and without another thought moved towards the staircase at the end of the hallway. I guess I will be raiding the kitchen tonight he thought to himself.

* * *

* * *

Claude stood in front of Edelgard’s door, metal tray in hand. On the tray sat a small, white ceramic tea pot along with two tea cups. He searched the kitchen thoroughly for a sweet bun, to go along with the tea, but after coming up empty decided that just the tea would have to do. He took a deep breath and then knocked gently on the door three times.

After a few seconds, he heard Edelgard’s voice, scratchy from sleep, ask through the door, “Hubert?”

“Try again, princess.”

“Claude?” She asked, now awake and a bit defensive, “What are you doing here?”

In truth, Claude didn’t have an answer. In the morning, he might say that he was just gathering information on a rival house, but here, standing in front of Edelgard’s room in the middle of the night seemed inexplicable.

He went for the obvious answer, “I--uh--brought you some tea.”

A long, silent pause ensued. Claude began to think that either didn't hear him or that she fell back asleep. 

On cue, she asked through the door, “You… brought me tea?”

“Yes.”

“Is this another one of your schemes?”

Claude laughed lightly, “No, Princess. I just thought some tea might help”

“Help with what?” Edelgard’s words sounded almost accusatory. 

Claude floundered for the correct words that might let him get through this situation without receiving his own late night visitor in the form of Hubert. 

“With… whatever,” He settled on.

Claude sat silently, knowing quite well how little Edelgard cared for that sort of vague, non-committal response. What was he supposed to say? I heard you screaming about rats and was hoping the tea might help you stop. 

“What kind of tea?” She asked through the door at last.

Bergamot, Claude thought to himself.

“I forget the name. Breg-something? I’m pretty sure I’ve seen you drink it in the dining hall before,” He said. Better to not let her know how attentive he was to the tea drinking habits of other leaders.

“Bergamot?” Her voice sounded hopeful.

“Ah-yeah. That’s the one. And if you let me in it’s all yours.”

“I’m not sure it’s proper for me to let boy in my room in the middle of the night, much less the heir to house Reigan.” Almost as an afterthought she added, “I think Hubert might try to murder you.”

“Sounds like he’s a good retainer that really cares for you,” Claude said.

“Your sarcasm isn’t necessary,” Edelgard hissed through the door.

“I wasn’t being sarcastic,” Claude said simply before gently adding, “Look, I’ll just leave the tea out here.”

He set the entire tray down in front of Edelgard’s door, leaving enough space to prevent her from stepping on it if she left her room in a hurry. With that he turned back down the hallway and prepared to return to Hilda’s room.

Before Claude took a step, he heard Edelgard’s door creak open. He turned and noticed that she had opened her door enough to peek her head out. She looked down at the tray on the ground before looking to Claude and then back at the tray again. “You really brought that for me?” 

Claude nodded and then realized how dark the hallway was, “Yes.” 

Her eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Claude shrugged and remained quiet. 

Unlike the nod, she seemed to notice his shrug before looking back towards the tray at her feet. Claude thought he detected a hopeful note again when she asked, “You promise it’s bergamot, right?”

Claude laughed, “Yes.”

Her mind made up, Edelgard nodded quickly and said “Very well. You may bring it into my room.”

Claude moved back towards her room and carefully bent down to pick up the tray once more. 

“Do please hurry. We wouldn’t want to give Hubert a chance to… stop you.” Edelgard said as Claude picked up the tray.

“Very funny,” Claude responded.

“I’m not joking,” Edelgard said humorlessly.

Edelgard ushered Claude out of the hallway and into her room, shutting the door quickly and quietly behind them. The small room was illuminated by a series of small candles spread across the various pieces of furniture decorating the room. As far as Claude could see, candlelight touched nearly every corner of the room, chasing the darkness from anywhere Edelgard could see.

The light gave Claude his first clear look at Edelgard, now standing nervously in front of her bed, and he was intrigued to find that, much like during the day, she seemed to sleep in attire that covered every possible inch of skin. At this hour, her skin seemed to take on a ghostly pallor and he thought he noticed a light sheen of sweat on her forehead. Her bed looked as if a fight had broken out in it, leaving no sheet or pillow untouched. Two of her pillows sat haphazardly on the floor next to her desk and the sheets of her small bed had all come undone. 

Claude refrained from making any comment on the state of her room or self and instead crossed the room towards the dresser against the back wall. As he set the tray down on top of the dresser he was surprised one more time by the large, stuffed bear already sitting on it.

“Is this bear wearing armor?” Claude asked.

“It’s not mine!” Edelgard answered a little too quickly.

“The stuffed bear sitting on the dresser in your room isn’t yours?” Claude asked with a smirk, “The stuffed bear that is definitely wearing armor, I should add.”

“I will wake up Hubert.”

“Okay, okay. Sorry.” 

Claude lifted the small teapot off of the tray and filled one of the cups with tea. He gently lifted the cup and held it out towards her as an offering. Her eyes constricted and she folded her arms across her chest as she glared at the cup of tea. 

“You still think it’s a scheme,” Claude noted.

He turned back towards the tray and filled the second cup with tea. Then, he took a small sip from each cup before setting them both back down on the tray.

“Take whichever cup you prefer. I promise they’re just tea.”

Tentatively, Edelgard crossed from her bed to the dresser and took one of the cups. She gently raised it to her lips and took a small tentative sip. After taking a sip, the tension seemed to leave her shoulders and she gave a small, content hum before taking a second, deeper sip. 

Claude picked up the second cup and begin to drink from it. Neither of them spoke for a few minutes as they each enjoyed the warm tea. As Claude began to near the bottom of his cup, Edelgard spoke, “Who told you about the nightmares?”

Claude took another sip of tea, carefully weighing his words before speaking. “They’ve been keeping Hilda up the last couple of nights… and by extension keeping me up. That girl really loves her beauty sleep.”

Edelgard cursed, “What do you plan to do with this information?”

“Huh?” Claude asked.

“Don’t play games, Claude. What’s your play here? Trying to convince me to have my house throw the Battle of the Eagle and Lion?”

“What? No, of course not.” 

“Because, I have far too much dignity for a ploy like that to work. And if you think--”

“Edelgard.” Claude said. 

Edelgard’s words caught in her throat at the sound of Claude using her real name--not some silly nickname or pretentious honorific, just her name. Claude looked up from his tea and locked eyes with her. “For once, I promise this isn’t connected to some nefarious scheme. I just--” he trailed off.

“You just what?” She asked.

“I just… look. I’m going to say something. Promise me you’ll listen?”

Edelgard looked wary, “I can’t promise, but… I will try.”

Claude cleared his throat and set down his tea cup before looking at Edelgard and beginning, 

“Once upon a time, in a faraway place…”

“Are you really going to tell me a story?”

“Well, I’m trying to. If you’ll stop interrupting me, Princess.”

“Fine.” Edelgard humphed. 

Claude began again. “Once upon a time, in a faraway place, there was a young boy. This boy came from a despised lineage. In short, his mother was a daughter of the enemy. So the young boy was treated horribly by everyone around him. He hadn't done anything wrong. Everyone hated him simply for existing. Yelling, fighting back, explaining himself... nothing he did could change his situation. When he was finally old enough, he ran far away from home. He escaped.”

“Smart boy,” Edelgard said.

“Thing is, after he ran away, he still found himself in the very same position. People in the outside world hated him for where he came from,” Claude continued. 

“Sounds like he needed a new world.”

“Exactly! With no place left to go, he knew that the only option was to destroy the boundary between the inside and outside worlds. To make it just one world.”

A glimmer of understanding shown in Edelgard’s eyes. “Destroy the boundary, you say? And how exactly would he do that?”

“He’s still working that part out, but he knows that he’s tired of people hating him just for being. It’s a burden he’s born for so long, but if he can figure out how to destroy that boundary then maybe he’ll finally be able to cast that burden off.”

“His goals sound admirable…” Edelgard trailed off.

“I think so too.” Claude smiled and turned his eyes towards the floor, away from her, as he went on, “The point is, people have burdens. Some burdens they are born with and some are forced on them. But whether they bind us or we cast them aside… that’s up to us.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Edelgard whispered wistfully.

Claude, still uninterested in eye contact, kept his eyes fixed on the ground as he gently whispered back, “I don’t know what burdens you’re carrying, Edelgard. And I can’t promise that casting them off will be easy. But I think… we might be the same. I think maybe we can help each other.”

Doubt crept back into Edelgard’s voice, “We have nothing in common, Claude.”

Claude laughed, looking back up at her, “Well, we both don’t sleep much and enjoy a good cup of tea. So, that’s something.”

This time, Edelgard broke their eye contact as she looked towards the ceiling with a slight smile and a light blush on her face. 

“That is something,” She muttered.

Claude cleared his throat, “Anyways, I should probably take this all back to the kitchen and head to my--err Hilda’s room. After all I’ve got a lot of scheming to do if I’m ever to cast that burden off.” 

He tried to wink at Edelgard, but her gaze had not left the ceiling. 

“Well, that and we don’t want Hubert to murder you,” She teased.

Claude barked out a laugh, “Well, I know I don’t want that at least.”

“Me neither.” 

Claude felt a blush creep over his face as he quickly gathered up the cups and the teapot before lifting the tray and making his way back towards the door.

“Claude,” Edelgard called out.

Claude turned around.

“Thank you.”

“That’s what friends are for.”

“Are we friends?” She wondered out loud.

Were they friends? Acquaintances? Rivals? Two attractive people with trauma that the other might understand? Claude decided it was too late to work that out now and so, although friend didn’t feel quite right--both too much and not enough, he said simply, “If you want.”

Edelgard gave one quick nod before turning away from him and moving back towards her bed. With her back towards him she whispered, “Goodnight, Claude.”

Claude took that as his cue to leave, quietly opening the door and slipping out into the dark hallway. He gently shut the door behind him. He looked back at it once more.

“Goodnight, Princess.” He whispered before disappearing into the dark hallway.

**Author's Note:**

> Come yell with me about fire emblem, edelclaude rights, and why those poor children at garreg mach all need therapists:
> 
> Twitter: @ajstyyling  
> Pillowfort: ajstyling


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